In the Mists of Icirrus Moor
by CinnamonPearl517
Summary: [Walking With Gods Book 3] The Dragon Uprising swept across Unova, and it is Siputet Oshawott's destiny to stop it. As the vessel of Keldeo's spirit, she rose up with the Swords of Justice to face the attacking dragon-types and spread peace across the land. But with Keldeo's spirit dormant inside her, hope is all but lost. That is, until a strange dratini enters her life. [PMD]
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

* * *

Icirrus Moor was a place of perpetual silence. In the day, the sunlight that struck the bare, empty grassland was tinted light gray, and it always touched the tough, rough ground with a gentle hand. When noon arrived on a summer's day, most of Unova would feel the snarling sun beating down on the backs of the landscape, but here on the moor, the summer days were kinder, as if some supernatural force warded off the worst of the sun's wrath. When dusk settled on the empty space, never were the bright reds, vivid pinks, and deep oranges of sunset seen. The sky would turn a grayish blue, then a darker blue, and fade straight to black. When the moon cast its gentle light upon the dry, stringy grasses, silvery mist would roll across the moor, dipping all who walked its paths into a world of dreams, of hopes, and of gods.

It was in these gray, creeping mists that a pokémon sat on a dark silver stone, equipped with only a piece of off-white parchment, a quill and inkpot, and knowing blue eyes. His long tail swished behind him, batting at the crawling clouds, as the Stranger dipped his pidgeotto feather into the tiny glass vial of black and started to etch his marks across the page.

 _In the late spring months of the year 4845, the Dragon Uprising finally came to a close. This red-stained crusade of widespread terror in the guise of a quest for an ideal world began over ten years ago when a pokémon known as Netami Hydreigon made a discovery of the like no other exploration team has made before. The unearthing of a jet black stone, radiating an aura of static power and marked with the image of a dragon eye, was the catalyst that began his unholy reign of fire and blood that swept across the region like an inescapable cancer. Netami fueled his campaign with one revolting, ideal belief; the dragon-type was superior to all, and no pokémon who lacked the type of the powerful beasts would escape their reign. Those known as the dragons spread their beliefs through terror and murder and enslavement, and their victims could only watch as their lives were consumed by dragonfire, and peace gave way to war and fear. For the first time since the sun had set on the old age and beasts walked the earth, pokémon turned on pokémon for no reason other than simple hatred._

 _After eleven long years of suffering and strife, one chance occurrence made way for the end of this crusade and the return of peaceful truth. A storm unlike any seen before swept the region of Unova. It was a storm of blistering cold only Darkrai could know, covering everything in unrelenting ice and snow. The ocean froze mid-crest, leaves were locked in place, and the fires of the region sputtered out within seconds. No such natural anomaly has been seen since the Endstorm of Hoenn nearly two thousand years prior. The storm and the day it struck were both named, accordingly, the Dance of the Dragons._

 _The day to follow was dubbed the Silent Day, when none in Unova moved, for the cold that descended on the region proved to be unrelenting. None would dare to speak lest their words freeze midair. However, it should be known that the Silent Day's name comes from two occurrences. The second is the silent death of Netami Hydreigon's dragon army. On the Dance of the Dragons, the dragon rebels were the most powerful force in the six regions, capable of dismantling governments and besting even the strongest and noblest of armies. When the sun set on the Silent Day and new warmth arrived with the morning, the dragon army was gone. Some fled, most slain, but none know what happened on that fateful day, and those who did quickly vanished, melting into the wilderness or the jungle of society. The world took a vow of silence, never to speak of what occurred in the heart of the region on that day ever again._

 _Most historians and scientists believe that the Dance of the Dragons was a freak weather anomaly, similar to the Endstorm of Hoenn back in the Age of Exploration and the Great Olivine Storm of Johto in the Union Age only a few hundred years before. However, some are not so certain. Is a storm that comes from nowhere, travels nowhere, and vanishes to nowhere truly just weather? Or is it something more, something peculiar? Something that may have come from a world from which none leave unscathed?_

The pokémon paused for a moment as a little melody drifted into the air, rolling alongside the endless mists. "You're distracting me from my work," he commented aloud.

A shadow shifted in the fog, and the Stranger could just make out locks of hair flowing in the faint, icy breeze. "Oh, you don't like it? Perhaps I can play something else for you. I wouldn't want you to be upset, my dear."

The pokémon wrinkled his nose at the velvety voice. "Don't think I'm not still mad at you."

The shadow feigned hurt. "Oh dear, you're upset with me? Why, whatever shall I do?" A mockingly sad song drifted into the air, most likely from some Kanton string instrument.

"Oh, stop it," the Stranger spat. "You could've done more."

The shadow was quiet for a moment, the music quickly fading. Then she spoke, her voice thickening with annoyance. "It is not my job to meddle in the world of which I was forced away from, my dear. You're old and alone and desperate, and you cling onto guilt like you cannot let go. Honestly, you're pitiful."

The pokémon scowled at her but made no retort. "It's all pokémon like us can do, I guess. Cling to the past like there's no tomorrow. But don't you see what's happening? We're being left behind. We all still act like it's a few million years in the past, like nothing's changing, but every day, pokémon are becoming more and more like-"

The sudden screech of dissonant notes sliced the air, as if someone had banged the keys of an imaginary piano, and the shadow sprang to her feet. "Don't you _dare_ mention _them_."

The Stranger said nothing, and the shadow turned from him. "We all swore to forget. It's time you recalled that little tidbit." She sauntered off, her shadowy form swallowed by the mists. "Gift yourself a little forgiveness, my dear. And stop writing that blasted paper. Don't think we don't know what you're doing." A minor chord of piano keys dripped through the air, and she spoke no more.

The pokémon watched her go for a while, and then sighed and turned back to his paper. He dabbed the feather in the inkpot one last time and plonked a large, ovular period at the bottom of the page. "I wish I could, my friend," he murmured, "but I'm saving this for someone."

* * *

Author's Note

Hello again! CinnamonPearl here with the third book of Walking With Gods. It's been a long time since I've uploaded anything, as I've been focusing more on original works than fan content, but I thought it was time I got back to this series and try to finish it proper. If anything, I can at least finish the third book. Now, unlike when I was uploading the other two books, this one isn't complete yet. I'll be uploading it as I go along, but note that earlier chapters may be subject to change if I decide some things need to be different before the end. I'll be sure to announce it if I change anything or plan any rewrites.

Due note that this is the third book in a series. Since the books are all standalone stories, you are free to go ahead and read this one! But I do recommend going back to read the other two books, as there will be some details you may miss out on. It's your choice.

I hope you enjoy the story!


	2. Kids in the Woods

**Chapter One: Kids in the Woods**

* * *

"She's not here."

Upon hearing those words, Siputet Oshawott felt like the world was crashing down. They had come so far, braving the unforgiving nights of the Unovan winter. They'd faced biting winds, unending snows, treacherous ice, and gnawing hunger. Now they were finally here, and it'd all been for nothing.

"But she has to be here!" Siputet said, her voice desperate. "We came so far. We were so sure!" She turned around and flopped to the ground, landing face-first in a snowdrift. "Why does everything bad always happen to me?"

She heard a _plop_ next to her, and a rich, deep voice spoke. "Yeah, like how you always catch colds from lying in snow? It's a real mystery."

Siputet looked up with a small smile to see Roche Lairon lying next to her, his eyes laughing and his lips curled in a dopey smile. "Oh, hush!" Siputet said. "You don't know what it's like to be chronically unlucky."

"You're ridiculous," Roche laughed. His voice was like velvet, deep and smooth with a humming bass to it. He was a stout pokémon, smaller than the average lairon. His baby blue eyes were always full of laughter and mischief, as if there was some grand joke going on that he was the only one in on. Roche slipped his head under Siputet and tossed her up onto his back. "Now you're being kidnapped. You're right, you really _are_ unlucky!"

"No!" Siputet laughed with delight as her friend piggybacked her around the snowy clearing, kicking up powder. "Let me down!"

"That's quite enough already."

Roche skidded to a halt, spraying snow into two large heaps. "Oh, come on, Chitan. Are we not allowed to have fun anymore?"

Chitaninu Skarmory glared at the two of them. He was a tall, formidable pokémon who looked like he could kill a man with his bare talons in ten different ways. He looked at them with his narrowed right eye, but when he turned his head, Siputet could see the deep, ragged scars over his wandering left eye. "Stop acting childish, Roche. You know what's going on. We came all the way from Undella Town, and for nothing. Meloetta isn't here. We've wasted our time."

"Hey, that ain't my fault. Shinke said she'd be here."

They all turned to the tall sawsbuck standing behind Chitan. She didn't seem to be paying attention, but was instead watching the snow fall with moderate interest. Shinke was an entity that radiated an aura of elegant power, standing tall over them with her long white fur waving in the icy breeze. Upon hearing her name, she looked at Roche with a questioning expression.

"Yeah, you! You said Meloetta would be here. But I don't see her. Where is she, huh?" called Roche.

Shinke shot him an annoyed glare before turning away to admire some reindeer lichen, her tail swishing.

"We all make mistakes. Shinke tried her hardest," Siputet commented. "I know I couldn't've done any better."

"Don't kiss up to her, Siputet. Her head's already big enough as it is," Chitan said matter-of-factly. He didn't notice the sawsbuck shooting him a death glare. "Regardless of whose fault it was, the fact of the matter is we've wasted too much time travelling when we could have been working. There's no more time to lose. Shinke, Roche, it's time for a mission."

"What?" Roche groaned. "But we just got here!"

"Yes, we did. And now we're leaving. Come on, guys, let's get ready. I want to be out of Nuvema within the hour."

Chitan, Shinke, and Roche got to work, taking off their bags and sorting their belongings. Shinke got to work organizing the berries, which caught Siputet's interest. She knew them all: oran, pecha, cheri, rawst, sitrus. She'd learned a thing or two about them in her time. The oshawott stood in the snowdrift for a moment, awkwardly shuffling her foot and staring at the berries, before she finally took a deep breath and approached the skarmory. "Hey, Chitan?"

He turned to look at her with his good eye, regarding her warmly. "What's on your mind, Siputet?"

Siputet held her paws together, staring at the ground and shuffling her foot. "Well, I, um… Since it's technically my fault that we wasted all our time, and I feel like you all don't eat properly when you're off running missions, and I could maybe help with carrying supplies, and-"

Shinke stomped her hoof several times and shot Siputet a look of impatience. "Okay, okay, getting to my point. I, well… I… I'dreallyliketocomewithyouandIwaswonderingifIcouldcomeonthis-"

"Siputet, you're going to sprain something talking that fast," Chitan interrupted.

"That's his way of saying no one can understand you!" Roche called over from where he was packing a wooden spoon.

Siputet paused, taking a deep breath. She looked at the ground and murmured, "I was w-wondering i-if I could, uh, come on this mission, maybe."

The forest clearing went silent for a moment. Both Shinke and Roche looked up, eyes wide, and Chitan's smile faded. "Oh, well, er…"

Siputet sighed, turning away. "I understand."

Chitan frowned. "I'm sorry, Siputet. I know you want to help, but it's just too dangerous. I care too much about you to take such a risk. But someday. You understand, right?"

Siputet nodded. Roche took notice and immediately bounded over, butting the oshawott playfully. "Hey, don't worry about it! Soon as we find the Musician, you get to come on all the missions you want! The four of us, saving the day just like we're used to."

Siputet gave a small smile. "You think so?" She felt someone patting her head and looked up to see Shinke smiling down at her, her expression comforting. She giggled and pushed the sawsbuck's hoof aside. "Alright, well you guys better get going. I'll be right here when you get back!"

"We won't go farther than the Skyarrow Bridge. It'll only be a couple of days," said Chitan.

Both Shinke and Roche looked up in confusion. "Really?"

"I don't feel comfortable leaving Siputet alone in this part of the region for too long. I never liked it here."

Shinke shot Chitan a glare. "Oh, I mean, not that Pinwheel Forest isn't a lovely place. There's just too much dragon activity in the Southeast. You know what I mean… right?" She accepted his apology with a nod and went back to what she was doing.

Siputet giggled. Chitan was a level-headed guy, but Shinke could always fluster him if she wanted to. "Well, I like it here. It's nice and quiet. Everywhere else in Unova is so big and busy."

"Just remember, Siputet. While we're gone, you must-"

"And I'll remember to stay out of town. Don't worry." She gave a reassuring smile.

Chitan rubbed her head affectionately. Most pokémon would recoil away from a steel-type's hard, cold touch, but Siputet leaned into it. "That's my little legend. We'll be back in two days, okay?"

"Just make sure you drink every couple of hours. Oh, and don't forget to eat breakfast. It's the most important meal of the day. Especially you, Shinke." The sawsbuck feigned confusion. "I know you skipped breakfast today. Unacceptable." Siputet crossed her arms and shook her head.

After only a few more minutes of packing, they were ready to go. "We'll be back soon! Be careful!" Chitan called as the trio went off into the snows.

"We'll bring you back something cool!" Roche added.

"Bye! Good luck! Love you!" Siputet called, and she watched her family vanish into the snows.

And then she was alone. Siputet stood in the middle of the clearing for a while, watching the snowflakes dance around her. Feeling a sense of boredom starting to nibble at her thoughts, she murmured, "I suppose you don't have anything to say? Maybe some advice on keeping warm? … For once?" She looked down at the shell on her chest more from habit than actual optimism, but alas, she was only met with silence. "Of course."

Siputet moved to collect her picked up her wooden spoon and bowl, her pack of twenty trading cards (about seven of them were duplicates, much to her chagrin), a raggedy milotic doll Roche had stolen for her near Driftveil City, and the book _Mythology_ _from the Land of the Dragons_ that Shinke made her practice with constantly. She slipped them into her small leather bag, slung it over her shoulder, and began her trek through the snow.

 _Chitan said I couldn't go into Nuvema Town,_ Siputet thought to herself, hoping no one was listening, _but he didn't say I couldn't look at it._

* * *

"Phew!"

Finally finishing, Gaijin Dratini dropped the broomstick and leaned against the rough, wooden wall, sighing. His back ached from sweeping all day, and he wanted nothing more than to fall asleep right there and then. But instead, he got back up and wiped his brow with his tail.

 _Guess I should let Mehmala know I'm done for the day,_ Gaijin thought. He made his way through the store, going past shelves filled with sacks of flour, bags of coffee beans, egg cartons, brown sugar, butter, and heaps of oran and rawst berries. He passed by open-topped crates full of yarn and sewing thread, lumps of soap, pots and pans, cooking supplies, chewing tobacco, thimbles, padlocks and keys. There were tables displaying wheat crackers, cheese, maple syrup, dried rice, and sea salt. In the back by the cash register, there were a few musical instruments being sold for higher prices: rusted brass Unovan instruments, the enormous Kalosian violencelle, a Hoenn waaliona that was missing three strings, and a small drum all the way from the Sevii Islands. None had sold since Gaijin had arrived. _Just no one has the money for these sorts of things._ He gave the violencelle's string a pluck and frowned as it made a honk of despair, and then turned away and entered a door labelled _employees only_.

He found Mehmala in the kitchen, as usual. The pignite was busy preparing dinner with all the cooking supplies she hadn't yet sold. The kitchen, along with the rest of the house, was stripped to the bare bones. Mehmala had sold most of the house's contents to make ends meet. Gaijin admired the woman. She'd apparently opened Nuvema General Goods when she'd run out of money to finish school, making goods from all over the world available to the village. She wasn't even completely evolved, and she had the most successful shop in Southeast Unova. Gaijin often wondered what the shop had been like before, with tropical fruits from Hoenn, fine wines from Johto, books from Kanto, and even a few pre-Beast inventions. Nowadays, all Mehmala could do was provide the simple folk of Unova with the necessities that were becoming harder and harder to come by, thanks to the war.

Mehmala looked up from her cooking. "Oh, Gaijin. Didja finish with your work?"

"Yeah. The store's all clean. Is there anything else?"

Mehmala mulled it over for a moment. "No. You've earned your rent for the day. I know you been getting tired more quickly."

"That's no-"

"Don't lie to me, Gaijin. I mean it," Mehmala interrupted. "Just relax for the rest of the day. But don't you start getting lazy on me tomorrow, or you'll be on the street."

"Right, of course I won't." Gaijin decided not to show it, but he was relieved the pignite had nothing else for him to do. He needed the extra sleep.

"Why not go take a walk or something? The snow's gonna be all over the place by tomorrow morning, so it'll be your last chance," Mehmala suggested. "Just keep your head low. You know what the folks are like in this town. They don't like you sticking around for so long, and honestly, neither do I."

Gaijin looked at the floor. "I know."

Mehmala sighed, rubbing her forehead. "You got a good brain in that head of yours, Gaijin. You don't belong in this Arceus-forsaken region like the rest of us. You belong somewhere where you can put yourself to good use. It's not like I don't appreciate the help, I do. This region just ain't a place where people like you can get on with people like us, and it ain't a place where smart kids like you can get anything done. At least, not in the east."

"I know." _Why's she telling me this? It's not like I don't know._ "I'm gonna go for that walk now." He turned to leave.

"Just remember to keep your head down," Mehmala called after him, but he was already out the door.

Gaijin made his way through the store. Upon passing the barrel of green apples, he was tempted to grab one and take a big, juicy bite out of it, but he kept moving. If Mehmala found an apple missing, he'd be out in the snow within seconds. _She'd take any opportunity to get rid of me._

The dratini went out the door and left the shop, slithering down the steps. Looking out at the snow falling over the warm little town, Gaijin couldn't help but smile. It was so quiet, so unlike his birthplace. On days like these, when smoke puffed from the chimneys, the windows cast a comforting yellow glow, and the villagers were out and about, it was easy to pretend the edges of the world were at the town borders. That places like Castelia City and Central Unova and Kanto didn't exist, and the world was just a sleepy, snowy town in the middle of nowhere.

Gaijin noticed Wewsewakan Stoutland over at his post, a heap of newspapers in front of him. Smiling a little, Gaijin approached. "Evening, Wewsewakan."

The gruff old stoutland looked down at him, resting his chin on his paws. "What does 'evening' mean, anyway?" He stared out into the snows, his brows furrowed in deep thought. "Are you just letting me know that it's evenin'? Or are you telling me you want me to have a good evenin'? Or are yeh saying I should have a good evenin' whether I want to or not? These are the questions, kid."

Gaijin laughed. "I guess they are. Say, can I borrow a newspaper?"

"It's just that we've come so far as a society," Wewsewakan continued, making no sign that he'd even heard Gaijin's request. "But evenin's gone backwards. Pokemon used to say 'I hope yeh have a good evening' or 'May Arceus grant you a wonderful evening.' But nowadays, we just say evenin'. As in, yes, it is indeed evenin'. Don't make a goddamn lick of sense."

Gaijin loved dropping by the newspaper stand. Wewsewakan Stoutland was probably the most entertaining pokémon in this entire town, with his nonsensical tangents and deep ponderings. _Not to mention he's the only pokémon in this town who's never told me to leave… Not that I'm staying._

"Hey, can I have a newspaper, Wewsewakan?"

"If you want, but I got somethin' better for ya." Wewsewakan rummaged behind the counter and came up holding a strange object in his mouth. He dropped it and pushed it over to Gaijin. "Y'ever seen anything like this?"

"Whoa! Where'd you find that?" Gaijin grabbed the object with his tail, examining it closely. It was a small, thin box, one of its sides black, the other silver, with a long, rubbery cord coming out of the bottom that split into two halfway through its length. Gaijin grinned, hardly able to keep himself from bouncing up and down as he turned it over in his tail. "Whatdo you think this is? It could be anything!"

Wewsewakan guffawed. "Ha! I knew you'd like it. Yer always blabbering about all the fancy gizmos that got left behind. Whadja reckon it is?"

Gaijin turned it over once more. "It looks we might be able to interact with it using electricity. It's not in great shape, but I've seen worse. This thing needs to get to Chargestone Cave stat!"

"Think it's got them weird letters in it that lots of flat things do?" Wewsewakan asked. "Didja hear about that? Back in Kanto, that scientist Kashiko Magikarp got one of those thingamajiggies to finally do something. Took a lot of prep work, I hear, but she did it alright. It's one of them big ones, the ones that you can open and fold shut. She can make it glow, and a bunch of words in the old language pop up. But it doesn't do nothing much besides that. Of course, if there was ever gonna be a region to make one of them old gizmos work, it was gonna be the First. They're incredible over there. Here? All we got is blood, death, and those damned dragons."

Wewsewakan rested his head on the counter again and sighed. Gaijin knew it was time to be on his way. Sometimes, he really hated this town. No matter what anyone did or what anyone said, everyone's thoughts always came back around to the war and the dragons. Setting the gadget back on the counter, grabbing a newspaper, and moving along, Gaijin couldn't help but glance out at the waters of Liberty Bay, only just visible through the trees.

 _Someday_.

Gaijin made his way north through the town, eager to get some space out on Route 1. He knew what Mehmala would say if she found out he'd been out in the woods on such a cold night, but Nuvema's atmosphere was suddenly suffocating. As he slithered through the town, he didn't fail to notice the suspicious glare Miss Manunk Watchog shot him or how Mimens Snivy and Kwesh Tepig scurried away as he went by, abandoning their half-made snow fort. Gaijin knew very well that if he wandered out into the night and died, no one in this town would bat an eye. _If only I could blame them,_ the boy thought, _but it's not like I don't get where they're coming from._


	3. An Undragon Dragon

**Chapter Two: An Undragon Dragon**

* * *

"I could've sworn Nuvema was right here,"Siputet muttered as she trekked through the snow. "Am I that stupid? Did I just forget where it is?" She could practically hear Roche laughing at her from wherever he was. Dusk was just about to give way to night, the snowbanks were piling up, and here she was wandering around in circles when she should be somewhere sheltered and asleep.

 _But there just aren't that many chances to see Nuvema in evening. We almost never come here,_ Siputet thought. _It's not like I get cold, either. I know Shinke will kill me if I get sick, though. Slowly and painfully._

Siputet found her way into a clearing. The ground felt different here, harder and perhaps slipperier, but the oshawott paid it no heed as she stopped, looking around for any sign of yellow windows in the dark. But she saw nothing but darkness and sighed, plopping onto the ground and picking up her shell. "Well, maybe they don't get back 'til late tomorrow, and I'll have another chance." She glanced down at her chest. "Don't be weird about it. It's not like I'm breaking any rules… technically. Nuvema is just so pretty! All the little houses covered in snow, the town pokémon out and about." She sighed, falling into a more relaxed posture. "I love winter."

 _Crack!_

Siputet jolted at the sudden noise. She looked around wildly, leaping up into a battle stance, but she could spy nothing through the oppressive darkness of the forest. She felt a chill shoot up her spine and down her arms, but Siputet dared not to move. Her heart was beating wildly, waiting. _Remember your training!_

 _Craaaaack!_

Siputet froze, glancing downwards in confusion when she felt the ground lurch under her. "Wait a minute," she murmured. "This isn't ground! It's ic-"

 _CRASH!_

The ice of the pond beneath her feet splintered into a thousand pieces, flying skyward as icy water surged upwards. Siputet yelped as she fell and squeezed her eyes shut, bracing to collide with the freezing, black waters. But just as she touched the water, something slammed against her, and suddenly she was flying away from the pond and onto the ground, rolling for a bit before slamming against a tree.

"Ow-w," Siputet groaned, rubbing the back of her head. Her ears were ringing from the abrupt landing, though she didn't hurt much. Blinking away the stars, Siputet opened her eyes to see…

"Whoa! A dragon!"

The pokémon before her was a dragon-type, no doubt. She'd never seen one of this sort, but he was blue with a serpentine body and a large, white nose. Upon hearing her words, he huffed in anger and recoiled. "I'm _not_ a dragon! I'm just a dragon-type. But that's what I get, I guess."

Siputet felt guilt clog her chest. _This kid saves you, and the first thing you do is insult him to his face._ "No, sorry, I… It's just that most dragon-types I deal with are dragons. B-but, I don't think a dragon would go saving me."

The boy shot her a suspicious look. "You're just trying to flatter me now." He swished his tail. "Well it won't work! I have _standards_."

Siputet couldn't help but giggle. "I like the way you say standards. _Standaaards_. What's your name?"

The boy gave her a onceover. "Gaijin Dratini. Who are you? I've never seen you before. Are you from Nuvema?"

"O-oh, I'm Siputet Oshawott." She was itching to get up and take a closer look at this strange, new pokémon, but she remained seated. _You know what Chitan would say if he found out you got close to a dragon-type._ "I don't live around here, no. I didn't realize someone new had moved to Nuvema."

"I'm not staying long," said Gaijin. "What were you doing out on that pond?"

"Pond? Oh!" Siputet looked past Gaijin at the hole of black water, now revealed from its mask of snow. "I didn't know it was there. Thank you for saving me, by the way. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

"It's no trouble." Gaijin raised his head and puffed out his chest, a pose worthy of a sword. When he heard Siputet snickering, he coiled himself and frowned. "What's so funny?"

Siputet covered her mouth, but she could hardly stop giggling. When Gaijin started to look offended, she stuttered. "N-n-no, I'm sorry! I just like you, that's all. You're funny."

Gaijin looked confused. "Funny?"

"Yeah." Siputet got up and inspected him closer. "Is that weird?"

"N-no." Gaijin wasn't sure what to think. It wasn't every day that random strangers popped up around Nuvema. This girl was a complete novelty. She almost seemed to like him. Gaijin knew he should probably be getting home before the cold set in, but he couldn't deny his curiosity. "So, what're you doing here? Where're you from?"

"Oh, um, nowhere really. My family moves around a lot. I don't really know exactly where I'm from." Siputet sat down in the snow, wiggling her feet. She moved to ask a question but paused when she spotted something behind Gaijin. "Hey, what's that?"

"Huh?" Gaijin glanced behind him and noticed his newspaper. He grabbed it with his tail and pulled it over. "This? It's just a newspaper."

"A newspaper?" Siputet stretched out her hand. Gaijin handed it over, and she pulled it close to her nose. "Um, let's see. L… lea… leapers, an…d-"

"Can't you read?" Gaijin asked, his tone curious.

"Um, a little? Not that well. Shinke makes me practice a lot, though," Siputet admitted, fixing her eyes on her toes.

Gaijin held out his tail, to which Siputet gratefully handed him the paper. He read, " _Leapers and Bounders hold protests at Arcean churches across Kanto._ "

"Leapers and bounders?" questioned Siputet.

"They're apparently some radical group out in Kanto who want state and religion to be separate. They're mostly concerned with Arceanity. Apparently, it's now a bad thing to have legendaries on money, even though we've been doing it since forever. I'm all for spreading science and truth, but this is just… ugh," Gaijin explained.

Siputet frowned. "But I like being on the money. What's the point in getting hung up over who's on the money and who's not?"

"Because people love to hate each other, Siputet." Gaijin could feel himself getting dangerously grim, but he didn't stop himself. "It's just the way the world works. Leapers and clergymen love to hate each other. Groutians and Kyograns love to hate each other so much they finally split their region in half. Dragons love to hate undragons enough to kill them all, and everyone in town loves to hate me just because I was born a dragon-type. Get used to it." He turned away, staring into the black pond, his eyes carrying the weight of the world.

Siputet was quiet for a few moments before she finally spoke. "I'm… pretty used to it." She got up and sat herself down next to the dratini. "I see it a lot, while I travel. I mentioned I travel a lot, right? I don't know a lot about other regions, though. I never really wanted to pay attention to them, in case they had as many problems as ours."

"We got the worst pick," muttered Gaijin.

Siputet mulled this over for a moment, then shook her head. "No. I love Unova. Its history, culture; it's all so unique. Maybe you don't know about it since you're Kanton, I think, but we have something special here. That's why we have to protect it."

Gaijin smiled humorlessly. "You talk like a sword."

It took Siputet a moment to realize what sort of sword Gaijin meant. It was common Unovan vocabulary. A sword was someone heroic or akin to a superhero, with a strong sense of adventure and an inability to do wrong. Nowadays it was more often used by housewives to describe children with a knack for getting into trouble, but Unovan lore was filled with powerful swords doing good and stopping evil across the five provinces, from the mountains of the west to the wetlands of the east. Then, of course, there were the Swords, whose tale every Unovan knew by heart. "It's in my blood, I suppose."

Gaijin nodded at this. "It's a weird world we live in, huh? People so caught up in all these damn problems."

"Swear!" Siputet exclaimed.

"Oh, uh, sorry?" Gaijin was a bit confused, for rarely did anyone in Unova find time to worry about something as trivial as swearing. "But the thing is, we're all too worried about what religion is best or what type is best when we have more important things to be worrying about, and it's the things we're surrounded by every day of our lives."

"Trees?"

"No, buildings. Buildings, gadgets, electric lighting, things that move on their own. All the stuff the pokémon of the pre-Beast era built and left behind. It's been nearly 4000 years since the Age of Beasts ended, and we still have yet to even figure out how to build a house like the old pokemon could. We're so worried about preserving these pre-Beast structures because what we have is all we have, but the fact that we're not willing to start putting more effort into cracking this code is already having global consequences." He paused for a moment, realizing he was starting to talk a mile a minute. Usually this was the part where Mehmala told him, _Get your head out of the clouds and worry about something important, boy. Like the shelves that need dusting._

However, Siputet looked enthralled by Gaijin's words. Her eyes were wide and bright, as if her mind had been expanded to infinite horizons. "What do you mean? What sort of consequences?"

"You're interested in this stuff?"

"Well, I've never heard anything about it before. I don't, er, meet a lot of people, and my family doesn't ever talk about that sort of stuff," Siputet said, rubbing the edge of her shell. "What sort of problems are the pre-Beast houses causing?"

Gaijin's tail started to flick eagerly. The heaviness from his eyes was gone, replaced only by fiery passion. "Oh, you don't know the half of it! Pre-Beast housing has so many limitations. We can make our own buildings, but compared to pre-Beast ones, they're just too ugly, and pokémon made towns always end up abandoned. But we're starting to run out of time. Our population grows year, but the amount of housing available is stagnant. It's causing increases in disease, overcrowding, territory disputes. I mean, Kanto and Johto are starting to bicker over Tohjo Falls, and those two have _never_ fought. There's even been increases in immigration as pokémon from Johto and Hoenn are moving into Kalos and Kanto, where there are bigger cities with more room. Pokémon can bicker over which legendary is better or whether religion should be involved in state, but unless we start focusing on the real problems, there's going to be a serious catastrophe."

"I never knew that!" Siputet's eyes were bright with curiosity. "See, this is why I like meeting new people. You learn things you didn't know about before. But Gaijin, how come it's so necessary to make more pre-Beast houses? Why can't pokémon live in nature more, like they used to?"

Gaijin raised a brow. "What, like wild pokémon?"

"No! Well, I mean, a little. But we all used to live out in the wild, sleeping under the stars and such. Would it be so bad to go back to that? Then there'd be more room for everybody."

Gaijin considered this. "An interesting suggestion, but I don't think anyone would last a week. Besides, there are no wild pokémon anymore. They all got wiped out, I think. Or they disappeared."

At Siputet's awkward expression, Gaijin started to ponder. _She isn't… is she?_ "Hey, you're not wild, are you?"

Siputet's eyes widened in panic for a moment, and she sprang quickly to her feet. "No, o-of course not! What makes you think that? I-I only said- ow!"

Gaijin was startled when Siputet suddenly winced in pain and grabbed at where her left ear should have been. "Are you okay?"

Siputet nodded and settled back down, though her posture was still stiff. "S-sorry. That just happens sometimes. Okay, l-look, my family might not live in towns and stuff, and we might forage more than we buy food, but we're not wild, okay? We've never eaten a single person."

Gaijin backed up a touch, almost tempted to turn tail and run away. But he didn't. "I believe you," he decided. "I won't tell anyone you're wild. But in return, you have to promise to never think I'm a dragon."

Siputet beamed. "Done!"

As night settled around them and a curtain of stars was drawn over the great, dark window of the sky, the two kids sat under the spindly oak tree by the dark pond. They spoke about trivial things like snow and rumors and different cieis. Siputet asked about pre-Beast structures and gadgets and couldn't help but giggle when Gaijin would get excited, standing up and swishing his tail as he ranted.

"Sakuna Wartotle says that they have to have been electric-types, since they seemed to have complete mastery over it," Gaijin explained. "She made outings to Chargestone Cave before the bay was closed. That's my dream. I wanna go to there and figure out the secrets to pre-Beast tech."

"Why Chargestone Cave? Because it's staticy?"

"It's the only natural structure in the world with a standing electric field. I think it'd be amazing to go there someday. But you know how hard it is to get anywhere with the dragons on the bridges. And besides, I'm waiting to get to Kanto."

"You're trying to go home?"

"Emphasis on trying. The dragons have us in a noose. Until the government can finally take them out, I'm not going anywhere," murmured Gaijin, his eyes downcast.

Siputet opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly, there was a _BOOM_ somewhere in the distance. Gaijin was knocked down by the shockwave rippling outward, and a great blue light shone fiercely through the trees, illuminating everything around them. Siputet leaped to her feet. "What was _that_?"

Gaijin could already feel his chest tightening up. He knew exactly what that was. No matter what he did or where he ran, they always followed. They never let him forget their existence. "Siputet, we should run."

"It's Nuvema, isn't it?" Siputet wore a mask of determination. "Come on!" Without waiting for Gaijin's response, she sprinted off towards the light.

"W-wait!" Gaijin could hardly believe what he'd just witnessed. He felt ready to turn tail, to run and hide and cry himself to sleep in hope that the nightmares would be gone come morning. In fact, he turned away from Nuvema to flee, but for some reason, he paused. He looked back the way Siputet had run, and with a groan, he slithered after her, going as fast as his body would allow.

"Siputet!" he whispered. The closer he came to Nuvema, the more a strange buzz filled his ears, scattering his thoughts. "Siputet!"

 _I'm just gonna find her. I'm just gonna find her, and I'm gonna grab her hand, and we're gonna run down to the beach and hide. I'm gonna find her, I'm gonna grab her, and we're gonna go hide._ He repeated the plan over and over in his head as if it would increase the chances of its success.

He spotted a dark silhouette up ahead and froze for a moment, cold fear setting in him as if he were a rabbit who'd just scented the wolf, but he quickly realized who it was up ahead. "Siputet!" He slithered up to her, tail ready to catch her hand and pull the girl he'd quickly become fond of away from the danger, away from _them_ , but when he reached her, he paused.

Nuvema Town was burning to the ground. The rooftops were covered in corpse-like blue fire, writhing and spitting like amorphous demons, and the heat blasted in his face. Sweat began to pour down his scales. Before him, the villagers of Nuvema were dying. Dragons crawled everywhere, baring their fangs as they dragged beaten, bloodied people out of their houses and threw them into the snow. He watched a fraxure yank Mehmala out of the general store by her ears. A garchomp was holding down a crying Kwesh Tepig while a zweilous kicked Mimens Snivy in the ribs repeatedly. He saw Wewsewakan and his wife standing over a beaten child as two haxoruses advanced on them. And as it all went on, the icy blue flames leaped from rooftop to rooftop, gorging themselves.

Gaijin backed up, nearly tripping over himself. "Siputet, we have to go. We have to run!"

"I can't," the oshawott murmured without turning around.

"Are you crazy? If we stay here, we'll die!" He grabbed her hand, but the instant he saw her face, his grip loosened.

The girl he'd met in the forest had been kindly, eccentric, and perhaps a little bit awkward, but the Siputet Oshawott he looked at now was someone Gaijin did not know. In her eyes, he saw fear. But he also saw something from deeper within her soul, the fierce determination of someone who would not, _could_ not walk away.

Gaijin didn't know he'd glimpsed the souls of two different people.

"You can't," he breathed. "What can you even do?"

"It's not about what _I_ can do." Siputet wiped away a tear. "Gaijin, if you see a skarmory or a sawsbuck or a lairon, tell them… you know."

Gaijin felt sick to his stomach. He almost couldn't believe what Arceus was doing to him. His home was burning, the villagers were dying, and now this girl he'd only just met was ready to die too. His face contorted in infuriated confusion. "What's the point? What'll you get out of throwing your life away?!"

"I have to try!" She turned away from him, gazing at the burning town as if she were mustering up the courage to leap into the fray. Standing there, framed by blue light, Gaijin saw a hero standing before him. Someone he could look up to and strive to be like.

It was too bad he didn't have the courage.

The dratini backed away, the selfish part of him screaming to run before it was too late. Gaijin turned away to flee, but he suddenly felt a weight crash into his side and throw him to the ground. The boy yelped in terror as a great paw pinned his body to the icy ground, and claws dug into his scales.

"Aah! Let me go!" Gaijin cried, squirming. He looked up, expecting to see the slit eyes of a dragon, but what he saw gave him such pause he forgot for a moment to be afraid.

Standing over him was a growlithe, a boy about his age. His eyes were narrowed with burning anger, his sides heaving and his lips curled in a snarl. When he breathed, smoke puffed from his nostrils like two chimneys.

"Where are they?!"

Wisps of blue flame escaped the pokemon's mouth when he spoke, flushing heat in Gaijin's face. The dratini's heart was locked with fear, his ears rang from the crash, and the heat made his head spin. "I-I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Hey!" There was a flash of blue, and the weight disappeared from Gaijin's back. He looked up to see that the growlithe had been thrown off him, and Siputet was standing protectively in front of him. "Don't touch him! He's not a dragon!"

The growlithe snarled bestially, his white fangs glowing blue in the firelight. With a growl escaping his throat and his fur sticking out in all directions, Gaijin had never seen a pokémon look wilder. "How dare an undragon like you pretend to know what I'm doing!" He stepped forward, back arched. "Tell me where they are! Or I'll burn this village to the ground!"

Siputet took a step back. She'd never seen anything like this. Before her was a growlithe, an undragon, a kid her age, but he spoke like the enemy. The way wisps of blue flame spilled out the corners of his mouth when he spoke terrified her to no end. Whatever this pokémon was, he was not natural.

Frustrated by her silence, the growlithe roared. "Didn't you hear me? TELL ME WHERE THE SWORDS OF JUSTICE ARE, OR THIS VILLAGE BURNS."

Siputet wanted to run. Chitan would always tell her, "You're never alone," but now Siputet felt more alone than ever. Innocent pokémon were dying. This _thing_ was going to kill them all, but she could do nothing. She wanted to run, to find her family so they could fix this together. But they were half a region away, and here she was, staring fire and death in the face. But if she walked away now, she'd never be able to look her family in the eye again. She couldn't run when innocent pokémon were going to die. She looked at the boy behind her, his eyes wide with fear, and she knew. She would stand and fight for the innocents, for the boy behind her and his dream, for the soul inside her, and for the purpose she had been born to fulfill.

The girl straightened herself and stood tall, her eyes shining with fierce determination. "I am Siputet Oshawott, vessel of the legendary pokémon Keldeo, and I must ask you to go in peace or face my justice."

The growlithe looked unsettled for a moment, but then he snarled. "What are you talking about? You didn't even answer my question!" When Siputet didn't respond, he spat, "Fine. Then the village burns."

The growlithe lunged forward. Siputet readied to fight, trying to summon water. But before she could, he crashed into her, throwing her into the village. Heart pounding, Siputet tried to scramble to her feet, but she felt a blast of agonizing heat on her side and screamed, falling over onto her back. The growlithe pinned her down, his sickening heat suffocating her. "Maybe I should ask you one last time. Where. Are. The. Swords. Of. Justice?!"

"Right here!"

* * *

From behind a house, Gaijin watched as the growlithe went flying into the window of the nearest building. The dratini's jaw dropped in awe when he spotted a lairon standing over Siputet. His eyes flamed with anger, and his body glowed with a dark brown aura. He bellowed, "Don't you touch my Keldeo!" and charged into the fray, knocking aside dragons left and right with his head and bashing them against the ground with his great armored paws.

A sawsbuck appeared next. While the lairon fought like a brute, the sawsbuck leaped onto the battlefield like a dancer, elegantly taking out a garchomp with her powerful antlers before knocking down a zweilous with a powerful kick. A haxorus charged at her, but she ducked aside in a fluid movement before leaping upwards and landing a powerful kick to the head. Eyes narrowed in concentration and fur glowing with a green aura, she hardly wasted a second before moving on to her next victim.

And then a skarmory arrived. Screaming in anger, his right eye ablaze with hatred and his left eye spinning wildly, he descended on the battlefield like a madman. He pounced on a fraxure from above, clawing and ripping with his wings of steel. He dug into her face and ripped out her eye, causing her to shriek in agony, before tossing her aside and leaping into the center of town. "Swords, to me!"

Without a second's hesitation, the sawsbuck and the lairon ran to his sides. They stood side by side, their bodies glowing with brown, green, and silver light. In an explosion of colors, the Swords of Justice revealed themselves. Great swords of energy appeared on their bodies, spilling brilliant light in all directions. The sawsbuck and the lairon wore them on their heads like horns, and the skarmory held his sword of light in his talons. They glowed so brightly Gaijin could hardly look at them, but a sense of awe and wonder hummed in his veins. The day was saved. The Swords of Justice were here.

They got to work immediately. The sawsbuck ran at a charging altaria and knocked her aside with her green sword. The instant they touched, the altaria was thrown aside at breakneck speed, crashing through the trunk of a nearby tree. The lairon charged the garchomp, sticking his brown sword through his arm and slicing, tossing enemies with his brute strength. And the skarmory flew across the battlefield with his silver sword grasped between his talons, slicing whatever stood in his way. Before long, all fourteen dragons lay bleeding in the snow. The growlithe stood alone.

The boy's sides heaved as he stared down the three heroes, his fur matted with splinters and blood. His eyes were aflame as smoke puffed from his nostrils. "So that is how it is."

The three heroes looked at him as if they weren't sure what to make of this strange child. Their adrenalin seemed to be leaving them, yet their great energy swords remained. "Who are you?" the skarmory demanded. "Why are you with these dragons?"

The growlithe snarled. "How _dare_ you speak to me like I'm some undragon? A lowly creature like you? My name is Winkalit Growlithe, commanding officer for the Great Dragon Lord, and I. Am. A. _Dragon_."

"More like you bonked your head," the lairon snorted.

Winkalit's eyes flashed dangerously. "Well, could an undragon do THIS?" On the last word, a great wave of blue fire erupted from his mouth, flashing so brightly Gaijin had to shut his eyes. The three heroes leapt out of the way. When the fire died, dark settled upon the town, and Winkalit was gone.

The three heroes were still for a moment, catching their breath. Gaijin watched as their energy swords faded into nothingness, and the colored auras around their bodies dissipated. "Well, that was a thing," the lairon finally said.

"Chitan! Shinke! Roche!" Gaijin turned to see Siputet running out to them. The three pokémon relaxed at the sight of the oshawott, and the lairon bounded over and enveloped her in a bear hug.

"There's our favorite girl!" Roche said.

Chitan and Shinke both approached. Upon getting a closer look at her, Chitan gasped. "Siputet, you're hurt!"

Gaijin then noticed the angry, red burn on Siputet's arm. The oshawott quickly tucked it behind her back. "No, I'm fine! It's not that bad. Guys… thanks for coming. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything. I'm just s-so useless."

Shinke shoved the girl with her hoof, shooting her an unhappy look. "But it's true! If you guys hadn't shown up when you did-"

Chitan lifted up his talons to interrupt her. He gestured to their left, where Kwesh Tepig peered at them with wide eyes from behind a house. The three Swords stiffened. "We should be going."

"Will the townspeople be able to fix everything on their own?" Siputet asked as she clambered up onto Shinke's back.

"They're going to have to. Our work here's done," Chitan decided. The four pokémon headed out of the village, but before they left, Siputet turned and looked around one last time as if she were looking for something. Gaijin ducked behind the house, and when he peered out again, they were gone.

"Gaijin!"

The dratini looked up at Mehmala's shout. The villagers were already starting on recovery from the most recent dragon attack. Houses lit up, ready to serve as makeshift hospitals, and the village doctor Tenikhet Ampharos shouted orders as villagers carried the injured indoors. The two water-types of the town, Mpi and Sipu Jelliscent, put out the last of Winkalit's fires, though the damages to the roofs were permanent. Mehmala had a nasty gash above her right eye and a deep claw mark on her chest. "Gaijin! Where are you?"

 _I could go out there,_ Gaijin thought, remaining still in his hiding spot. He could go out there to the sanctuary of the village, crawl into his bed, and go to sleep. His eyes were already drooping, his side ached, and his head pounded. He needed the rest, he knew. But Gaijin knew that when he woke up the next morning, Mehmala would bark at him for not waking up early enough to open the shop, he'd spend the day sweeping the floors and taking stock, and the pignite would ask him when he would leave. Then he'd take an evening walk, and the villagers would demand if he'd known about the attack. He would get angry and exclaim that he hadn't, and they wouldn't believe him. Then he would go home and spend the next night staring at the ceiling, thinking of Siputet Oshawott and the mysterious band of pokémon who had come to save the day.

"Gaijin! Where are you?" Mehmala called again. But Gaijin shrunk into the shadows. _Sorry, Mehmala, but you'll have to wait just a little bit._ He turned and raced into the trees.


	4. Four Strange Swords

**Chapter Three: Four Strange Swords**

* * *

 _I'll circle around the town and find their footprints. Then I can see where they went! Only one of them's a flying-type, after all,_ Gaijin thought. He wove through the trees, his headache finally ebbing to make room for determination. He would find the pokémon who saved Nuvema, or he'd freeze to death trying.

When Gaijin reached the opposite side of town, he spotted three sets of footprints in the snow, leading off towards Route 1. Gaijin slithered alongside them, being careful not to tread over them. The snowfall was slowing down, so the tracks wouldn't be covered, but his body wouldn't be able to handle the cold for long.

The footprints took him a short way along Route 1 and down to the beach of Liberty Bay. As he saw the lazy waves sloshing against the silver sand, he recalled a lecture from one of his past history teachers. _"The bay was named Liberty Bay at the end of the Age of Exploration, when Salamence the Great's death triggered the collapse of the Kalosian Empire and Unova gained freedom. In celebration of our independence, we renamed it Liberty Bay. However, students, it should be noted that before the collapse of the Kalosian Empire, our bay was rightfully titled Dragonwater Bay, in celebration of the dragon-type's glory. When the Great Dragon Lord finally drives out the undragon government and takes back this region, the bay will once again be named Dragonwater. We should all look forward to this day."_

Gaijin's recollections were halted, however, when he heard the sound of a distant conversation, just audible beneath the sloshing of the bay. He grew anxious and slowed his pace to a crawl as he crept towards the source. He spotted a cave up ahead on top of the beach, a warm orange glow pooling from inside, and his anxiety started to thrum as he crept up to the mouth of the cave and peered inside.

In the small, circular cavern were the Swords of Justice, all stretched out by a campfire. He spotted Roche lying on his back, Shinke lying with her legs tucked under her, and Chitan standing with one leg tucked inside his metal feathers. Gaijin grew worried for a moment when he didn't spot Siputet, but then he saw the oshawott nestled in Shinke's thick pelt, looking glummer than he would have liked.

"Siputet, for Zygarde's sake, shut _up_ ," Roche groaned, pawing at the fire as if it were a dangling string. "How were you even supposed to know an attack was gonna happen?"

Siputet protested, "But if I could've just-"

"No. No! Shut up." Roche's words were harsh, but his tone carried a compassionate feel. Gaijin wasn't sure whether or not he would've been offended, had he been in Siputet's place.

"Roche's right," said Chitan. "We should've come back faster when we heard about the attack. I didn't realize it would be so soon. But Siputet, what were you thinking running in there by yourself? You could've been killed. You know dragons don't think twice about murder."

"But what was I supposed to do? Walk away? You know I couldn't," Siputet said, her voice about to break. She sniffed and wiped her eye.

The two boys exchanged a worried glance, and Chitan sighed. "You always do this, Keldeo. Don't you see we care about you too much to let you get hurt?"

"Well, how come you guys can run into battle and come out without a scratch and I can't?" Siputet tried to put some force into her voice, but it came out a pitiful whimper. "I wanna draw my sword. I wanna use my power, but I can't. I never can. You guys have legendaries who like you. You don't know what it's like when they hate you."

"Siputet, shut up. No one hates you," Roche grumbled.

"Roche's right. I don't know why Keldeo has remained dormant, but he's always been… troubled, according to Cobalion," Chitan explained. "We just have to discover how to draw him out. If you keep up with your training, we'll figure it out, I promise. Okay, Siputet?"

"…"

"Hey, you listening?" Roche asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, okay," Siputet mumbled. "I'm gonna go to sleep now."

"But you barely ate! Did you get enough rawst berry?" Roche asked, flipping over onto his stomach. Siputet nodded and snuggled herself deeper into Shinke's fur, as if she hoped it would hide her from sight.

Gaijin wasn't sure what to think. He could hardly follow the conversation. Legendaries? Keldeo? Training? He hadn't the slightest what was going on, but he did know that he'd stumbled across something great. He was tempted to go in there and claim he knew Siputet, and then settle down with them and ask his billion questions and spend the night by their fire. But he found himself afraid. What if he went in there and Siputet was already asleep? These pokémon might not believe that he wasn't a dragon.

"She asleep?"

Gaijin looked up at the breach of silence. Shinke glanced at the snoozing oshawott and nodded.

"So… what just happened?" Roche asked.

The shift in mood around the fire was palpable. The three pokémon's postures stiffened, and the firelight seemed to glow a little bluer. "I'm not sure what to think," Chitan admitted. "But it seems like _he_ has finally grown sick of us. Those dragons were bounty hunters, if not assassins. They were looking for us."

"You think the hydreigon actually wants us dead? After all this time?" Roche questioned.

"It's not like his actions have ever been logical," Chitan snarled. Gaijin was startled by the sudden aggression in the skarmory, and the heavy scarring over his left eye made him appear intimidating. "Why should we question him now? He wants us dead."

Shinke looked up, shooting Chitan a glare as her left ear flicked. "Don't give me that," he told her. "Since when does a mass murderer ever act with the slightest bit of logic? If he was logical, we wouldn't even be in this mess."

Roche mentioned, "Chitan's got a point. He _did_ send an undragon after us. An undragon in charge of a bunch of dragons. A kid, nonetheless. What was his name? Winky-lip?"

"Winkalit," Chitan corrected.

"That's what I said. My point is, why did the guy who'd like to see all us undragons dead send an undragon kid to kill us? I mean, sure, the kid's got moxy, but it doesn't make a lot of sense even for Hydreigon."

"He said he was a dragon, right?" said Chitan. "Maybe this is his sick new game; brainwashing children to think they're dragons and then sicing them on defenseless towns."

When Shinke gave him a skeptical look, Chitan huffed in anger and slammed his foot down. "Well, would you put it past him? What sort of logic do you think he ever uses? He's a _goddamn murderer_!" The skarmory grabbed a nearby stone and hurled it against the wall. The rock chipped where it hit, and the stone ricocheted out of the cave and straight past Gaijin's head.

Shinke whirled around to face him, shooting him a hard look that even Gaijin could read. _Control yourself._ Chitan held her gaze for a few moments, his wandering left eye spinning, but eventually, the anger ebbed and he dropped his eyes. "Sorry."

Looking pleased, Shinke settled back down, resting her head on the ground so her neck curled protectively around Siputet.

"Hey, I know it's hard," Roche said. "We've all been through a bunch of shit. That kid's a hero." They both looked at Siputet, who was barely visible under Shinke's blanket of fur. "You think Keldeo's gonna show up anytime soon?"

"I… don't know," Chitan admitted. "Cobalion says he's always struggled with his vessels, but he doesn't know why, and neither do I. But we're going to have to figure it out if we ever want to end this war."

"So what's the plan now? Head back to Central, run a few missions?"

"No. That'll only get us so far. It's time we went West again. The Musician wasn't here, but if I had to guess where she went, there's only one place."

"I get ya."

"We'll leave early tomorrow. For now, we should get our rest." Chitan swiveled his head around and rested his chin on his back, and Roche got up and stamped the fire out. Darkness rushed into the cave so quickly that Gaijin saw stars for a moment.

"Night."

After a few moments of listening to their snoring, Gaijin backed away from the cave. He was bewildered, and his heart beat with an exhilaration he hadn't felt since coming to Nuvema. He was desperate for the pokémon to wake up and keep talking so he could listen on. But the conversation was over. He turned away and headed towards town.

The entire way, the Swords' words echoed in his head. Usually at this late of night he was worn out, but Gaijin felt like he could stay up all night. There was something about those pokémon he couldn't quite put his tail on, but the further he walked, the more he wanted to turn back, go into that cave, and see how they reacted when they woke up to find him. Siputet would vouch for him, surely. Then they'd explain to him what they meant when they'd spoken of Keldeo and Cobalion and traveling west. And maybe, just maybe, they'd invite him along.

When Gaijin reached Nuvema, he could see that things were still busy. Tenikhet was barking orders from the serperior household, and the adults ran about, carting whatever medical equipment they could find. No one spared him a second glance, but he knew tomorrow they'd have all the time in the world for him.

When Gaijin arrived at the store, he'd hoped to sneak up to his room without making a hassle. But the instant he shut the door behind him, he heard his name. "Gaijin!" Mehmala stormed up to him. The gashes over her eye and on her chest had stopped bleeding but were still red and raw, though the pignite looked hardly bothered by the wounds. "And just where have you been, boy?"

"Sorry, I was just making sure there weren't any dragons lurking around. But I'm back now." The lie tasted sour on his tongue.

"You an idiot, boy? What made you think it was a good idea to go looking for dragons? Get up to your room! You know what they'd do if they found you all alone!"

"Right, sorry," said Gaijin. _They probably wouldn't do anything since I'm a dragon-type._ "I'll just head upstairs."

He slithered past her and headed for the stairs to the attic. But just as he was about to go up, he heard, "And Gaijin." He turned. Mehmala looked less angry and more apologetic now, as if asking for forgiveness for what she was about to say ahead of time.

"No one's happy about this here attack," Mehmala murmured. "They'll look for someone to take it out on. If you were gonna be on your way anytime soon… I think now might just be the time to do it."

Gaijin had been expecting as much. But when it came time for him to leave, he'd hoped Mehmala would barge into his room, throw his stuff into a bag, and toss him out the door without even a second thought. At least then he could hate her, and when people asked him about his time in Nuvema, he could truthfully describe it as terrible. Now, whenever he spoke of Nuvema in the future, he would have to lie. He hated lying. "Right. I understand." With that, he went upstairs.

The attic was a tiny space, and, by default, Gaijin's living quarters were even tinier. He had a scratchy nest shoved in a corner, beneath a dusty mosaic of Xerneas and Yveltal. His possessions were in a small, two-drawer dresser of unfinished pine wood. A throw rug with a couple of mysterious stains completed the space Gaijin had lived and slept in for the better part of two years. The rest of the attic was filled with merchandise that wouldn't fit down in the shop and a few hand-me-downs from Mehmala's late parents.

Gaijin looked around the pathetic bedroom with disappointment, a ritual he'd started the day he arrived in Nuvema. He opened a drawer and pulled out a book from the bottom of the pile. It was a large, thin book with more width than length. He flipped open to the title page, where it read _Bedtime Stories from the Land of the Dragons_ , and beneath it, _Happy birthday, Gaijin! -Your best friend Wenkep_.

Gaijin had never appreciated this present as much as he knew he should. He was more for nonfiction, but he could appreciate a good story just like any pokémon. The problem was the title. _Bedtime Stories from the Land of the Dragons_. Every time he read it, it made him sick to his stomach. It was true that Unova had been called the Land of the Dragons since the Age of Beasts, maybe even before. It was the place where many believed the dragon-type had been born and where dragon-type traditions held most strongly in the present day. Even their lore was centered around powerful dragon-types whose fighting could obliterate entire regions. Once upon a time Unovans had been proud of their heritage. But when Netami Hydreigon changed the meaning of the word dragon, the name Land of the Dragons was no longer a truth, but an ideal. An ideal no one wanted to see realized.

However, Gaijin could stomach the title for now, as he was interested in the book's contents today, not its cover. He skimmed through the table of contents and then flipped to page twenty-eight. At the top of the page, it read _Cobalion and the Swords of Justice_.

Beneath the title was an illustration of three pokémon, all of them quadrupedal and hooved. The one in the center had two upright horns and flowing blue fur, the one on the left had horns out to the sides of her head and green fur, and the last had a stout posture with curved horns and brown fur. Gaijin knew the illustrations were just guesses, as the true appearances of all legendaries were unconfirmed, but when he gazed upon the pictures, he found them familiar. They looked like pokémon he'd met a long time ago and forgotten until now… or perhaps even a few hours ago.

" _The Swords of Justice are the three pokémon Cobalion, Virizion, and Terrakion. Whenever injustice is done in the region, they rise to combat it and protect pokémon. These three pokémon are swords in the truest sense, who do only good and work to make the region a better place…"_

Gaijin skimmed the rest of the passage, but he realized he wasn't getting anywhere. After all, a children's book was written for just that, children. If he wanted to get some real answers, he could always ask Wewsewakan if he remembered the legend in the morning… or he could get some answers from the primary source.

Gaijin sprang off the bed, grabbed his old bag from the bottom drawer, and immediately started piling his things into it. He decided to pack one of his books, the one on pre-Beast science and speculation. The rest, he left in the drawer. _I don't know where I'm going, but wherever it is, there won't be any room for distractions!_


	5. Keldeo's New Pet

**Chapter Four: Keldeo's New Pet**

* * *

 _I hope Gaijin is okay,_ Siputet thought as she left the cave. Dawn had only just begun to airbrush her soft gray paint across the black canvas of the night sky. The air had a crisp chill to it, but Siputet hardly minded. From the cave, she could hear the steady breathing of her companions and Roche's obnoxious snoring, but Siputet felt ready for the day. She'd been an early riser all her life. A few years past, her left ear had hurt too much for her to get any rest once the sun rose, and now it was just habitual. She often spent the extra time preparing breakfast or meditating, but today she had a more secular task to do.

 _I didn't see him last night after the attack._ Siputet started to twiddle her paws. _I should've gone back and made sure he was okay. If he got hurt because of me…_

She didn't finish the thought, mainly because she didn't actually know what she'd do if he'd gotten hurt because of her.

She spotted the smoke of Nuvema's chimneys before she saw the town. The sight of the gray plumes rising into the early dawn instilled in her a sense of normalcy. She could almost forget the dragons and Winkalit Growlithe and Keldeo. For a moment, she pretended that she was a Nuvema resident, heading home from early morning foraging to make breakfast on the stovetop. But she quickly realized how ridiculous the notion was, and she wasn't quite sure where the thought had come from.

Siputet arrived at the town entrance and peered inside. Only a few pokémon were out, all discussing something by a larger cottage. A hunched ampharos with bags under her eyes seemed to be in charge. There were a pair of serperiors, a pignite, two stoutlands, a watchog, and a few other adults. They were all injured from last night's attack. Some looked afraid, others angry, and a couple just had an empty look in their eyes. Unfortunately, they spoke too quietly for her to hear.

"You!"

Siputet whirled around with a squeak to see Gaijin Dratini behind her. She grinned at the sight of him. He looked unharmed, more so than the other villagers. However, the way he looked at her was… strange. She couldn't quite put her paw on it, but something inside her squirmed in discomfort.

"Oh, hi Gaijin," Siputet greeted, putting her odd feelings aside. "I didn't see you last night. I just came to make sure you were okay."

"Oh, I'm fine." Gaijin swished his tail. "Nice of you to drop by. Looks like you didn't get off so easy, huh?"

"Huh?" Siputet glanced at the burn on her right shoulder. Her blue and white fur was singed, and the burn underneath had stung badly last night. "Oh, this? It's not so bad. Nothing a rawst berry can't fix."

"I'm glad," Gaijin said. His smile began to fade. "Not everyone was so lucky. Those dragons hurt a lot of people last night. The doctor thinks one of the kids is going to die."

"Wh-what?!" Siputet exclaimed. She turned to look back at the adults, and suddenly the bags under the ampharos's eyes and the dejected expressions of the serperiors had devastating new context. "Do you mean that?"

"The doctor's trying everything she can," Gaijin murmured.

Siputet felt her eyes start to water, and she locked her gaze on her feet. "I-if I wasn't so u-useless-"

"You're blaming yourself?" Gaijin asked her. "Isn't that a bit much? It isn't like you invited those dragons here."

"…. Except I did." Siputet turned back to face him. He looked startled to see her tearing up. "I-I have something to admit. Those dragons didn't just come here for no reason. Th-they came looking for me. Me and my family. I'm the reason they came, and I couldn't do anything to stop them. Your village was nearly destroyed."

"You can't blame yourself," Gaijin said. "If you're gonna blame anyone, blame Netami Hydreigon, or Winkalit Growlithe. Hell, blame Arceus if you want!"

"Who?" Siputet asked at the last name.

"Wait, you don't know…? Oh, it doesn't matter. My point is, there's not much use in blaming someone, because the town wasn't destroyed. Those three pokémon came and saved us! They must've been magic or something. It was incredible, stupendous, extraordinary!"

Siputet giggled, wiping her eyes. "Oh, them? Well, that was my family, actually."

Gaijin blinked in surprise. " _That_ was your _family_? But… what… how?"

"We're the Swords of Justice!" Siputet bounced.

"But what _are_ the Swords of Justice?" Gaijin asked. "Why is Hydreigon looking for you? How can you do all those crazy things? It's not scientifically probable. You guys are not scientifically probable!" His desperate curiosity was almost palpable.

"Well…" Siputet glanced around, half-expecting Chitan or Shinke to pop out of the woods and drag her away by the ear. "I'll tell you things. But you have to promise not to tell anyone, okay?"

"Of course," Gaijin replied in a tone that wasn't very reassuring.

Siputet sighed. "Well, you know that story about the Swords of Justice? Those legendaries who protect pokémon and save the day? Well, we didn't just get our name from them. We _are_ them."

Gaijin stared at her blankly. "Not following."

"Well, it's kind of a long story, but legendary pokémon have this ability to split their souls from their bodies. Then that soul can go into another pokemon. It's their way of staying secret. That skarmory you saw last night? He's Cobalion. The sawsbuck Shinke is Virizion, and my brother Roche is Terrakion. And I'm Keldeo."

Gaijin gave her a look that suggested he was contemplating backing away slowly. "But that doesn't make any sense! Legendary pokémon are just stories. They're explanations for things we don't understand. They're meant to put kids to sleep. How can they suddenly be real now?"

 _He doesn't believe me! Oh gosh._ "I-I know it's not easy to believe, but I promise it's true. Those big beams of light you saw last night? Those were energy swords. Only the Swords of Justice can use them. Well, the Swords of Justice and their legendlings. No ordinary pokémon can do it, but we can. I'm a legendary. My whole family is."

Gaijin gave her a onceover, his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "So, you're saying that inside your body right now is the eons-old, all-powerful soul of a legendary pokémon who, up until sixty seconds ago, I thought was a myth. And that your entire family also have all-powerful legendary souls inside them."

"Um… yes?" Siputet was growing less and less certain of herself by the second, as if this pokemon's disbelief had somehow disbanded the legendaries from her family's bodies and thus, making her a liar.

Gaijin considered this for a moment. "Can you prove it?"

Siputet was taken aback by the sudden transformation. He was no longer suspicious, but instead inquisitive. "Well, um, no." The look of defeat on his face was so priceless she could hardly stifle a giggle. "Keldeo is, um… Well, it's a long story. But I'm not lying, honest!"

Gaijin sighed. "It's all a bit hard to take in. It's not that I don't want to believe you. It's just so… weird." He glanced down at her shell. "Can Keldeo see me right now?"

"I… don't know? It's a bit complicated."

Gaijin suddenly grew excited as his tail started to spin like a helicopter blade. "But this is… this is just so cool! Amazing! Earthshattering! Could legendary pokémon really be real? That raises so many questions. Where are they now? Why do they live in secrecy? Were they born before the Age of Beasts or after? How intelligent are they? How much of the legends are true? Do you think you could organize an interview with Cobalion for me so I can-"

"Hey, Gaijin." The dratini slowed to a halt at the interjection. "I actually didn't come here to explain about legendaries and stuff. I came to apologize for not being any use last night, even with Keldeo. I'm sorry." She bowed her head.

Gaijin shook his head. "Really, don't work yourself up about it."

"No, hear me out," Siputet said. "To make it up to you for not protecting your village, I'd like to personally escort you to Mistralton City!"

Gaijin was taken aback, to say the least. For a moment, he couldn't even pinpoint why she insisted on Mistralton City, when he was more concerned with leaving the region altogether. But then it hit him. "You wanna take me to Chargestone Cave?"

Siputet nodded. "I know how frustrating it can be to be stuck somewhere. You said you wanna figure out all the pre-Beast stuff, right? And fix all those problems? I know that travel is pretty much impossible right now. But my family moves around all the time. I couldn't protect Nuvema last night, but I _can_ help you achieve your dream, if you want. What do you think?"

Gaijin was uncertain. Mistralton sounded amazing, and he was dying for an opportunity to see Chargestone Cave, but Mistralton wasn't anywhere near Liberty Bay. What if he left, and a ship headed for Kanto came by Nuvema the next day? _I do want to go, but… No, I'm being foolish. A foreign ship hasn't come to this region in ten years, and there won't be any until the war is over. If I'm going to be stuck here for any longer, I may as well spend it studying, not sweeping the floor of a general store._

"Ah, what the hell? I'll go!"

Siputet grinned, clasping her paws together. "Yay! I'm so glad! Do you need any time to get ready and gather your things?"

"It, uh, shouldn't take too long."

"Okay. And you're okay with leaving right now?"

Gaijin glanced over at where Mehmala was chatting with the other village adults, the face contorted with anger. "Yeah. I'll just be a few minutes."

"I'll wait here, then." Siputet backed into the underbrush, and Gaijin headed into town.

Gaijin made haste to the store, slithered upstairs, and grabbed his bag. The off-white messenger bag was too heavy to travel with. He opened it and, pushing aside his aspear leaves and Kanton science articles, grabbed a worn, striped scarf and set it on the dresser. Mehmala might be able to fetch a decent price for it. He closed the bag back up and slung it over his shoulder, now content with its weight. It wasn't a feather, but it wouldn't slow him down. Gaijin left the room without a second glance.

When he reentered the store, Gaijin had expected to slip out quietly, but to his surprise, Mehmala was setting bags of flour on the shelves. She turned, hardly reacting when she noticed his bag. "So, where're you heading?"

"Mistralton," Gaijin said. "I met someone who's willing to take me there."

Mehmala nodded. She'd heard about Gaijin's dreams from Wewsewakan. She'd never expressed her opinions on them, but Gaijin figured a woman who worked with her hands wouldn't see much use in staring at rocks all day. "And you're sure this person can get you all the way West with all your scales attached? You know those dragons will nab anyone off the street, even your type."

"I'm not too worried." Gaijin's heart fluttering as he recalled the energy swords from last night. "Besides, there's not much to do here."

Mehmala nodded and turned to face him. "Well then, Gaijin, I really do appreciate the help you've given me. It wasn't perfect. But you're not a bad kid. You need a break from this town, and this town needs a break from you, is all."

"Thanks for everything," Gaijin said. "I promise I'll come visit if I can." He couldn't actually tell if it was a lie or not. It's not like he wouldn't like to, but he doubted he'd ever have the chance.

Mehmala chuckled. "Don't bother 'til the war's over." She turned back to the flour, and that was the end of that.

When Gaijin walked down the front steps of the store, a small part of him expected to be hit with a sense of nostalgia. But he was unsurprised when he hardly felt anything. After all, Nuvema wasn't home, not really. His birthplace hadn't been, and Mistralton wouldn't be either. He glanced once again across the navy-blue waters of the bay, and he knew where home truly was. He would get there someday. When the war was over, he would sail away from this Arceus-forsaken region to Kanto. It was the land of innovation, science, and peace that Gaijin looked forward to calling home.

"Going somewhere, kid?"

Gaijin looked up to see Wewsewakan watching him from his porch. The dratini slithered up to him. "Yeah. I found someone who's going to take me to Mistralton."

"Ah!" Wewsewakan said. "So yer finally chasing that ole pipe dream, eh? Good, good. Don't make a lick of sense for ya to stick around here. Them Serperiors're already talkin' about runnin' yeh outta town. Idiots."

Gaijin glanced around nervously to make sure no one had heard the stoutland openly insulting his neighbors in broad daylight. To his luck, it didn't seem like anyone had overheard. "Well, you won't have to worry about that anymore! I'll be out of here before they can even get the pitchforks. But they can't stop me from writing."

Wewsewakan chuckled humorlessly. "'Course." The old man stared out into the forest for a moment, and Gaijin almost took it as his cue to get going before he finally spoke up again. "Who's the water-type?"

"Huh?" Gaijin followed his gaze to see Siputet peering into the town from the underbrush. "Oh. She's one of the pokémon who are taking me west."

"Hm." Wewsewakan rested his head on the railing of his porch. "You can trust a kid like that. She looks wild, but she's got a good vibe to her. Looks a proper sword."

 _You don't know the half of it,_ Gaijin thought.

"I do hafta hope you'll be a little more honest with her than yeh ever were with us." This statement caught Gaijin off guard, and Wewsewakan noticed his surprise. "Don't look so shocked, kid. It ain't exactly a stretch to figure yer not from Kanto, as yeh like to say."

Gaijin was silent. Shame squeezed his throat, and he cast his eyes downward.

"Oh, chin up, kid," Wewsewakan grumbled. "All I'm sayin' is it's fine if yeh choose not to write. Yer business is yer business. I can tell yeh can do some great things if yeh put yer brain to use. Mistralton'll be good for ya, and Kanto will be too. Just warnin' ya though, the weather out West ain't so great. Thundurus loves those mountains."

"Right. I'll buy an umbrella." Gaijin knew the change of subject equated forgiveness, and he was more than willing to let the matter go. "I have to run, but I'll miss you."

Wewsewakan looked him up and down. "Hm. Yer off to a good start. Get on out o' here. Wouldn't wanna miss yer ride."

Gaijin smiled, and then he headed towards Route 1. His heart felt light as a feather. He couldn't wait to see the great, white-capped mountains of the West, covered in ancient conifers and grasses twice his height. He'd learned a little bit about Mistralton in history class. The first to settle there had been ice- and rock-types from Twist Mountain, and they'd spent the Footprint Age defending the city from the valley's wild zebstrika tribes. After the end of the Footprint Age and the decline of wild pokémon, many of the zebstrikas joined their civilized enemies in Mistralton as friends, creating quite a unique cultural blend in the modern day. And, of course, it was notoriously rainy.

Gaijin stepped out onto Route 1, and Siputet came out to greet him. "You're back!" She glanced behind him, frowning. "Hey, um, that tepig over there. Is he okay?"

Gaijin glanced behind him to see Kwesh Tepig laying under a porch nearby. His face was heavily bandaged, and he was clearly trying not to cry. Gaijin sighed at the sight of him. "No. He's just a kid. The war hasn't exactly been easy on him. At least he has people to take care of him, though."

The pair started to head up Route 1. Gaijin instinctively followed Siputet, though he wasn't entirely sure where they were going or what the plan was. "What do you mean by that?"

"The dragons took his parents as slaves three years ago. The serperiors took him in. That attack probably brought back some bad memories. But he'll be okay; undragons always stick together."

"That's so sad," Siputet sniffed. "It takes a lot of determination for people to help each other when times are so tough. Which is why I'm gonna be the best trans-region escort you've ever had!"

Gaijin chuckled. "We'll just have to see about that. So, uh, where are we going?"

"Oh, right," said Siputet. "Well, now that you're all packed and such, and I've made my promise and you're out here with me, uh, all we have to do is… goandgetpermissionforyoutoactuallycomewithus."

Gaijin looked dizzy from the whirlwind of words. "Uh, once more but slower, please?"

Siputet took her shell and turned it over in her paws. "We just have to ask Chitan if it's okay for you to come west with us."

Gaijin halted in his tracks. "Wait, wait, wait… You didn't even get permission?"

"Well, I, err, I intended to, just-"

"Foolish, foolish, foolish!" Gaijin exclaimed, shaking his head.

"Don't worry," said Siputet. "It'll be fine. My family's really understanding… sometimes. You'll see! Come on, we've gotta get to the cave before they wake up!"

The two kids jogged out into the forest and towards the cave. Gaijin struggled through the brush, both because of his serpentine body and lack of foresting experience, but Siputet raced through the woods like a fish cutting through water. She ducked under low branches, dodged fallen logs, and wove her way through the brush. Gaijin had heard of grass-types knowing forests in a similar fashion, but he'd never heard of a water-type like this.

 _I guess it has something to do with Keldeo. Though, I barely understand all that. Is she like Keldeo in an oshawott's body? Or is he more like a visitor? Does she have two souls, or do they just share one?_

Gaijin was so distracted by his pondering that he didn't even realized they'd arrived until Siputet held out an arm to stop him. They were in the underbrush right by the beach, and out on the sand, Gaijin saw the three Swords of Justice, preparing to be on their way. It was almost strange seeing them again, as if he'd been trying to convince itself that this had all been a fever dream. But here they were. He tried to imagine them with the souls of the real Swords of Justice inside them, though he couldn't quite picture it.

"Wait here a second, please," Siputet whispered to him. She stepped out of the brush and approached. "Hi, guys!"

Gaijin was taken aback by the immediacy of the Swords' reactions. Upon seeing the oshawott, they instantly relaxed. There was no trickery, no falseness; they looked genuinely pleased to see her. "Oh, there you are. We were wondering where you'd wandered off to," Chitan said.

"Yeah. That's Shinke's job," said Roche, patting her head. "Find us any breakfast?"

"Um, no," Siputet said. "But I wanna show you guys something. I, um… I made a friend."

The Swords all exchanged glances of suspicion, the relaxed atmosphere dissipating faster than Gaijin had thought possible. Shinke gave her a questioning look.

"Don't worry. He's really nice. He saved me from falling into a pond!"

"You're a water-type," Roche deadpanned.

"But it was frozen! Anyway, um… Come on out, Gaijin!"

Gaijin hesitated for a moment. Memories from the previous night flashed before him. Last night, the Swords had instilled in him a sense of awe and curiosity. Now, they seemed scary. But Siputet was beckoning him so, against his better judgment, he stepped out.

The Swords reacted exactly as he'd expected. Roche and Shinke jumped into a battle stance, and Chitan jumped forward so that Siputet was behind him, his body glowing faintly silver. "What is this? Why'd you bring a dragon here?"

Siputet quickly raced past him, planting herself in between them. "He's not a dragon!"

"She's right! I'm not," Gaijin squeaked. "I'm just a dragon-type."

"And we should believe you why?" Chitan snarled. Shinke took an intimidating step forward.

"He's not a dragon, I swear," Siputet argued. "When we met, we were both alone. He could've tried to kill me, but he didn't. He saved me, and then we just talked. Why would a dragon do that?"

"I mean, she's got a point." Roche relaxed once again. "Dragons are usually murder-y. This kid looks more like a small nerd."

"Hey!"

"It could be a trick," Chitan argued, not taking his good eye off Gaijin. "Don't you remember Winkalit from yesterday? If _he's_ using kids now-"

The skarmory trailed off when Shinke stepped out and approached Gaijin. The dratini's heart hammered against his ribcage as Shinke stepped uncomfortably close and bent down to scrutinize him. He'd never felt closer to death than he did looking into that sawsbuck's dark green eyes.

But the moment passed. Shinke lifted her head, shrugged, and padded off to look at the water.

"See? Shinke says he's cool," Roche said.

Chitan shot him a glare, but when the lairon refused to stop grinning, he sighed. "Fine, it's fine." He looked Gaijin up and down with his right eye. "How much do you know about us, dragon-type?"

Gaijin shifted in the skarmory's gaze. He was a different sort of intimidating from Shinke. While Shinke's presence felt like that of a death god, Chitan's felt more like being a few feet away from a ticking time bomb. But Siputet seemed pleased by how things were going so far, so he forced himself to answer. "A-a little bit. Siputet told me you guys have, uh, legendaries in your bodies or something? I don't really understand it."

"Of course you don't," Chitan spat. "We are the legendlings of the Swords of Justice. We have been for years, and we will continue to be so until the day the hydreigon is dead. You're a common pokémon. You do not belong in our world."

"Oh, well, actually," Siputet interrupted, stepping in front of Gaijin again. "Chitan, I, um… There's something I should-"

"For Zygarde's sake, Siputet, what did you do?" Roche grumbled from where he was organizing stones into the shape of a music note.

"OkayImayhavepromisedGaijinthatwe'd-"

"Stop! Shut up! Talk like a person!" called Roche. Chitan waited in silence, the look on his face suggesting that he wished he'd slept in.

Siputet fondled her shell, eyes fixed on her feet. "Okay, well, um, don't be mad, but I m-may have promised Gaijin that we'd t-take him to Mistralton and-"

"WHAT?!" The oshawott winced at Chitan's screech. "Siputet, why would you make that promise? We can't take this child all the way across the region!"

"We're the Swords of Justice, not babysitters," Roche added.

"Hey! I'm not a kid!" Gaijin complained.

"See? He thinks he's not a kid! Ultimate proof of kid-ness," said Roche.

Siputet started, "B-but guys, I-" but Chitan walked past her and stared down the dratini.

"Look, dragon-type, I'm not entirely sure what you've been told, but traveling across the region is no cakewalk. This region is crawling with dragons. They control the bridges, they control the waterways, and they control the entirety of Central Unova. Hell, you could say they have the entire East if you're generous. We're legendary pokémon of immense power who have been doing this for nearly a decade now. The chances of you surviving this trip are extremely slim, especially in your poor health."

"Poor health?" Siputet cocked her head.

"He has Kyurem's syndrome. Cobalion detected it immediately, along with the aspear in your bag. Face it, dragon-type. Leaving this town will be your death."

Gaijin hoped Siputet would come to his rescue, but she remained silent, her eyes downcast. _Okay, this is my one shot. Don't blow it!_ He stepped forward and met Chitan's gaze, much to the skarmory's surprise. "Look. I know that having me around is the last thing you want. I'm used to that. But I have to get out of this town, one way or another. It's suffocating here. I can't stand being it knowing there's somewhere else I need to be. It's my dream to go to Mistralton. I'm a scientist, or at least an aspiring one, and Chargestone Cave could hold the key to making discoveries I've always dreamed of! Don't you know what it's like to want something no matter what, and you know all the odds are against you and it's probably impossible, but you'd never stop trying?"

Gaijin hadn't realized his words' effect until he finished. The Swords looked like their souls had just been prodded. All were lost in thought, and they remained silent to the point where Gaijin thought, _Are they trying to make me feel so awkward I leave?_ But just as he was about to take a step, he bumped into something behind him and turned to see Shinke standing at his back. He hadn't even heard her move.

Chitan looked exasperated. "You're not serious." When Shinke nodded, looking quite pleased with herself, he said, "But it's dangerous! And he'll slow us down. We need to be focused on finding… you know who. Not carting children all over the region. It's absurd!"

Roche got up and padded over to Siputet, slinging his arm around the girl. "Oh, come on. How can you say no to that face?" He prodded her, and she made a puppy-dog face. "Besides, I like the dragon kid. He's got moxy, even if he is a small nerd."

"Hey!"

Chitan looked between Shinke and Roche in disbelief. "You guys can't be serious." Shinke's expression said, however, that they were indeed serious. Finally, the skarmory groaned in defeat. "Fine. Fine! We'll take him to Mistralton. But first, some ground rules." Chitan stepped forward so that he was towering over Gaijin, and the little dratini coiled himself and shrunk down. "Rule number one: you do _whatever_ I say, _exactly_ when I say it. Rule number two: you do _nothing_ to insult our legendaries, or they will want you dead. And rule number three: once we get to Mistralton, that's it. You stay put, we go on our way, and we never see each other again. You stay put in Mistralton until the hydreigon is dead. Do I make myself clear?"

"C-crystal," Gaijin squeaked.

Chitan looked disappointed, as if he'd hoped Gaijin would raise argument. "Fine then. Let's just get ready to leave."

"Woo! We're babysitters!" Roche cheered, tossing his pile of stones into the air.

"Hey, I'm not a kid. I'll have you know I'm very mature for my age."

"Who told you that? Your mom?"

Siputet didn't fail to notice a flicker of something in Gaijin's eyes at Roche's comment. But before she could ponder it, the moment passed. "No," Gaijin said. "My teachers. And the grownups in Nuvema."

"Takes a kid to know a kid," said Roche. He got up and trotted away, laughing. Shinke and Chitan followed him into the cave.

Now alone, Siputet skipped over to Gaijin. "Did we just get a yes?"

Gaijin grinned. "I think we just did! I can't believe it. For a second there I seriously thought they were going to rip my spine out."

Siputet giggled as if she thought he was kidding. "Of course not, silly. We're the Swords of Justice. Our second most important rule is to never hurt an innocent person. And you're the innocentest."

"Most innocent," said Gaijin. "So how long is this trip going to be? Three weeks? Four."

"That seems about right," Siputet said. "It could be longer, though. Depends how held up we get. And speaking of held up… Excuse me a moment."

Siputet wandered over to the cave mouth, leaving Gaijin on the beach. She was about to walk in, but, upon hearing conversation inside, she paused and moved away from the entrance, her ear pricked.

"… probably never going to make it. He's weak, and there's no way he can fight. A kindness would be to leave him in Striaton," Chitan was saying.

"We already said we'd do it. Plus, what would we tell Siputet? She'd be crushed," Roche argued.

"She'll be crushed when the dragons capture her new pet and ship him up to _him_ in Opelucid City," grumbled Chitan. "And I shouldn't have to remind you, but dragon-types who go there don't come back."

"Well, even if you are willing to let Siputet down, what about Keldeo?" Siputet's ear pricked. Usually, whenever her legendary's name was stated, it was in reference to her. It was strange to hear her name being used for someone else. "Terrakion says Keldeo's always had his pets. Common pokémon he gets attached to and then cries over when they keel over. Something tells me Siputet isn't the only one who wants to bring the kid along. Let them both have their fun."

Chitan sighed. "I hate you. Both of you."

Feeling that the conversation had just about finished, Siputet stepped into the cave, wearing a look she hoped would suggest she hadn't heard a thing. "Are you guys ready to go?"

"Yes." Chitan grabbed one of the bags and slung it onto his back. "Let's get a move on. I'd like to reach Accumula by evening."


	6. The Legend of the Swords

**Chapter Five: The Legend of the Swords**

* * *

And so, they set off. For the most part, Siputet found traveling with someone new in the group was pretty similar to normal travel. They walked in a loose herd, Chitan leading the way with his good eye facing forward, Roche marching behind him and to the left, Shinke wandering a good twelve feet away, and Siputet taking up the rear. Except now, there was a dratini walking next to her. As they traveled north through the woods, she became excited at the prospect of having someone new with them. She couldn't help but steal glances at Gaijin, and she felt so bubbly she could hardly suppress the need to start up a conversation. She could tell he was nervous, judging by his stiff posture and wary looks, so she decided to engage.

"So, you're from Kanto?"

"Huh? Oh, um." Gaijin seemed a bit startled by her question. "Yeah."

"I've heard of it," Siputet admitted, "but I don't really know a lot about it. Or any region, for that matter. What's it like?"

"W-well, um, I haven't been there since I was a baby, so I don't remember it very well. But it's a place of science and innovation. The greatest scientists thinkers in the world live there. And it's also the most powerful region. Whenever there's trouble in the world, you know Kanto can fix it."

Siputet ignored the annoyed look Chitan had just shot Gaijin. "It sounds cool. What sort of legendaries live there?"

"Oh, that's right. I guess if the Swords of Justice are apparently real, that technically makes Kanton legendaries real, too. Does that mean Arceus is real? And Zygarde?" Gaijin asked.

"Hmm… I don't know, actually. Chitan! Hey, Chitan!" The skarmory looked back at her. "Is Arceus real?"

"I don't know," Chitan muttered, shooting Gaijin another look. "All Cobalion has told me is that Unovan legendaries are real. None of the Swords have been outside the region, so they don't know about other places." He swiveled his head back around.

Gaijin considered this. "Hey, I was wondering, actually. If the Swords of Justice's souls are inside of you all, then what about their bodies? Do their bodies disassemble when the soul is out? Or are they hidden with a spell? Can legendaries possess each other? Do-"

"Agh, shut _up_ ," Roche groaned.

"Sorry," said Gaijin in a tone that suggested he wasn't that sorry. "It's just a bit odd, being around actual legendary pokémon souls. Do their bodies morph with yours?"

"They leave their bodies at home," Siputet explained. "Cobalion is in Mistralton Cave, Virizion is in Pinwheel Forest, Terrakion is on Victory Road, and Keldeo is on Icirrus Moor. Don't you know that from the story?"

"Not really, no," admitted Gaijin. "I don't think I've ever even heard the story before."

Chitan, Roche, and Siputet collectively gasped, all whirling at him. Gaijin jumped, coiling himself a touch. "What? What'd I say?"

"You've never heard the Legend of the Swords of Justice?" Chitan demanded.

"Welp, someone didn't have a childhood," Roche chuckled. "Were you too busy being dragon-y to bother with the classics?"

"It's just nobody's ever told it to me," Gaijin argued. "Most of what I've heard is the Creation Cycle and the Tao Cycle. Those're all people care about those days."

"That's it?" Siputet asked. Even she was surprised. _Do common pokémon just not tell that many stories?_ "What about the Legend of Meloetta? The Legend of Thunders and Winds? The Tale of the Monster? Anything?"

When Gaijin shook his head, Chitan muttered, "Uncultured swine," and stormed ahead. Roche laughed at Gaijin's reaction and walked on.

"It's not like it's my fault!" Gaijin grumbled as they started to walk again. "No one has much time for storytelling while there's a freaking war going on. Wasting a time would be silly, foolish, nonsensical."

"Sorry if we came off as harsh," Siputet said, clasping her hands together. "We're just surprised. We tell stories all the time! It's the best way to really know your fellow gods, you know? Hey, what if I told you the Legend of the Swords of Justice? To pass the time?"

"Well, sure," Gaijin said. "I guess if I'm gonna be traveling with them, I should know them."

"Right. They'll appreciate that, especially Cobalion. He's a bit of a mossback," Siputet whispered, hoping the legendary wouldn't overhear. Last time he'd heard her say something of a similar caliber, he came out to lecture her on the importance of respecting your superiors for five hours. His favorite threat to her seemed to be, _"You'd be wise not to make me use the chart, Keldeo-ling."_

Without further ado, she began.

"Thousands of years ago in the Unova region, the Land of the Dragons was blessed with peace and prosperity. The dragons of black and white had been transformed into the Light and Dark Stones, unable to unleash their wrath on the region. The pokémon of Unova lived happily knowing their peace would not be shattered by the fighting of the dragon-types.

"However, little did the pokémon of Unova know, but something amiss was stirring. In the Twist Mountains to the west, there lived the legendary pokémon Thundurus, a god of chaos and disorder. He had feathers of blue, great fangs, and wings that could stir lightning and thunder with their beating. Thundurus was frustrated, for all he wished to do was fly out into the blue sky, beat his wings, and destroy all he could, but he was bound to the earth by the legendary pokémon Landorus.

"One day, Thundurus was sitting alone in the mountains, his leg chained to the ground. Thundurus said to himself, 'If only I could be free again, to feel the wind beneath my wings and partake in the game of destruction with my brother again.'

"What Thundurus did not know, however, was that a pokemon watched him. It was Palitun Starmie. When Reshiram and Zekrom had laid waste to the land, only one pokémon in the region had enjoyed watching the world end, and it had been Palitun. When the dragon-types were locked away, Palitun left their home and searched for a way to bring chaos back to the world. They journeyed way across Unova from the bay of the east to the mountains of the west, and it was here that they found Thundurus, the Skysplitter and the Twin of Chaos."

"I thought this story was about the Swords of Justice," Gaijin interrupted.

Chitan hissed, "She's getting there!" and then said kindlier, "Go on, Siputet. You're doing great."

A bit confused, Siputet continued.

"Seeing the blue Twin of Chaos now, Palitun called out to him. 'Would you like to be free, Thundurus?' Thundurus leaped up, snarling and spitting, his thrashing wings stirring up lightning. 'Who goes there? Who dare sneak up on the Skysplitter?'

"Palitun stepped out and responded, 'It is I, Palitun Starmie.' Thundurus regarded the pokémon coldly. He was not sure how to react to this strange new visitor. 'Why have you come here, searching for me? Do you not know that I delight in the slaughter of pokémon such as yourself?'

"'Yes,' Palitun said. 'I do, and that is why I have come after you. When Reshiram and Zekrom were sealed into their stones, I was disappointed. I thought the dragons would reduce this world to chaos. They failed, but I have not given up. I wish to see this world burn. And if it will not be in white fire and black lightning, then let it be in thunder and winds. I will free you, Thundurus, and I will free your twin. But in return, you must do something for me. You and your twin must kill everyone.'

"Arceus, what the hell is wrong with this guy?" Gaijin muttered. When Chitan shot him a glare, he quickly shut his mouth.

"Thundurus considered this for a moment. He could not fathom who this pokémon was to speak to him so boldly, nor could he determine why a common pokémon would seek destruction. But Thundurus wished to be free, and he could not refuse. 'Very well, Starmie. I will grant your wish.

"Palitun stepped towards the Blue Twin, bracing against the crackling electricity that sparked off his body, and grabbed the earthen chain that tethered Thundurus to the ground. Though it was unbreakable for the Skysplitter, it could not hold against a starmie's water, and Landorus's chain was dissolved.

"Thundurus flew up into the air, reveling in his power as the sky filled with black clouds. 'It is time for disorder to rule! I shall rescue my brother, and then we shall bring this world back to its natural state!'

"'However, Thundurus,' Palitun said, 'you must recall our agreement. We shall rescue the Green Twin, yes, but before you are truly free, we must kill everyone.'

"Once they freed Tornadus, the second Twin of Chaos and the Windwaker, the three pokémon set out to fulfill Palitun's request. Wherever the Chaos Twins flew, they brought destruction and death. They leveled forests, flooded rivers, and raised storms of lightning and winds that would cut apart any pokémon. Palitun was overjoyed. Not since Reshiram and Zekrom had they witnessed such delightful destruction. And because Landorus, the Hunter of the Winds, was still weakened from subduing Thundurus and Tornadus before, she was powerless to stop them.

"However, there was still one pokémon in Unova who could do something. It was the most powerful legendary in the land. Meloetta, the One Who Stood Above Them All. Though she could end Thundurus and Tornadus's campaign of death without lifting a hand, she did not. For Meloetta had always been one to enjoy watching others dance to her tune. So instead, Meloetta watched the Chaos Twins destroy and said, 'Who might be a pokémon who will end this charade for me, should I grow weary of watching it?'

"There was a pokémon whom Meloetta knew of. His original name has been lost to time, but he was a steel-type. Meloetta watched him as he helped those hurt by the Twins' storms, never once thinking for himself. He would be perfect, this Meloetta knew. Even more so because he had been Palitun's friend.

"It was a quiet day when the steel-type was journeying through the mountains, searching for those who had been injured in the last storm. He suddenly heard a song no pokémon had ever heard before. It invoked in him a sense of fierce determination, a feeling of pride and strength, and a desire to fight and help those in need. The steel-type left the path and followed the song, deep into the forest and alongside the river, and it drew him into Mistralton Cave.

"There in the belly of Mistralton Cave, the steel-type saw Meloetta, perched upon a rock, and emanating from her was the song of bravery and sacrifice. 'So you heard my song after all. You truly are perfect,' she said.

"'What is this song, Meloetta?' the steel-type asked. He had been told many times to beware the Musician, for she was a powerful deity who could bend others to her will, but he could not resist the song. 'Why does it make my pulse race and my heart beat?'

"'This song, dear steel-type, is the song of the springs. I made it to call forth only the purest and most selfless of swords. Only those who can use their power to fight for what they believe in may hear this song. And you heard it.'

"'What does this mean?' the steel-type asked her. 'It means that I have selected you,' Meloetta responded. 'It is time this crusade of Palitun Starmie's ended. Steel-type of pure heart, will you grasp the hilt of the sword? Will you bring justice wherever and whenever it is needed, and maintain peace in this fair region, no matter what sacrifice it may entail?'

"'I will,' the steel-type said. Meloetta granted him her power, and on that day, the steel-type was transformed into the legendary pokémon Cobalion. He had immense, powerful hooves, flowing blue fur, and two great yellow horns atop his head. He was the first of the Swords of Justice, and in his transformation, he became a fighting-type as well to represent his fighting spirit. 'Then go forth, Sword of Justice Cobalion,' Meloetta told him. 'Go forth into the world and find two more pokémon who are also able to hear the song of the springs. They will join you in the fight to uphold justice. Assemble your group, and then bring the return of justice and peace.'

"'I will,' Cobalion stated, and he left Mistralton Cave. He charged across the region, fighting Thundurus or Tornadus wherever they appeared. Though Cobalion won many battles, he knew that if he were to defeat the Twins of Chaos and Palitun for good, he would need more swords at his side.

"Cobalion came to Pinwheel Forest, where searched for Palitun Starmie so he may bring them to justice. Though the Ringing Sword's search proved fruitless, it was here that Cobalion's ears fell upon a familiar tune. He could not fathom why it should appear here of all places, but it was the song of the springs.

"Cobalion followed the song once again, as he had done many moons ago in Mistralton Cave, but he knew that this song of the springs was not for him. It did not resonate with his soul. No, this song of the springs meant to call to battle someone who was not him.

"Cobalion reached the deepest grove of the forest. There upon a fallen log was Meloetta, and before her was a grass-type. Meloetta said to her, 'So, the song of the springs has touched your ears. The song that calls swords with the purest and most just of hearts has brought you here. Are you prepared, grass-type? Are you prepared to take up the hilt of the silent sword and follow the Sword of the Heart into battle?'

"'I am. I shall follow Cobalion into battle, and I shall protect my region,' the grass-type said. By Meloetta's power, the grass-type was transformed into Virizion, the Sword of the Leaves and the second Sword of Justice. She was a beautiful pokémon, with long legs, a thin body covered in green fur, and two horns sloped off the sides of her head. Cobalion stepped out into the grove.

"Meloetta said, 'Virizion, you are a Sword of Justice now. Follow Cobalion, and together you must find the third of the purest swords and end the injustice the starmie has wrought upon our region. Go forth and fight well, Silent Sword.'

"So, Cobalion and Virizion left Pinwheel Forest that day. With Virizion at his side, the Swords of Justice fought twice as strong in battle. Before the birth of the Silent Sword, Cobalion had only been able to hold off Thundurus and Tornadus where he could, and he was often not successful in stopping them. But with Virizion fighting beside him, the two Swords of Justice truly protected the pokémon. Palitun Starmie became enraged, but they and the Chaos Twins could do nothing to stop the Swords.

"The travels of Cobalion and Virizion brought them to Victory Road in the very north of the region. It was here that Cobalion heard the song of the springs for a third time. Once again, Cobalion knew this song was meant for neither him nor Virizion. They followed the melody to a cave on Victory Road, where they found Meloetta with a rock-type.

"Meloetta asked the rock-type, 'Do you swear to follow the guidance of Cobalion and protect our region from injustice and strife? Will you take up the hilt of the banging sword and be a vessel of justice and good?' 'I will,' the rock-type swore. On that day, Terrakion, the Sword of the Rock and the third Sword of Justice was born. He was a stout pokémon of brown fur, with rippling muscles and great, curving horns. Finally, their group was complete.

"The three Swords of Justice raced to the mountains once again, where Palitun and the Chaos Twins lay in wait. They were met with violent storms; lightning split the sky and wind cut through their bodies, but they persisted. To the top of Twist Mountain they raced, and there, Palitun waited for them atop the back of Thundurus, Tornadus at their side.

"'So, you have arrived,' Palitun told them. 'The Swords of Justice, led by one I once called friend.' 'Indeed, we have heard the song of the springs and come to stop your reign of terror,' Cobalion said. Palitun said, 'I do not think you can do it, Cobalion, Ringing Sword. You and I were friends once, before you chose to stop me. Can you truly slay your friend?' Palitun laughed, for they felt as if they had won.

"However, Cobalion stepped forward and stated, 'We shall, for we are the Swords of Justice. We shall bring peace wherever injustice may strike, no matter the consequence.' The three Swords of Justice joined their powers together. From their foreheads appeared three great blades of light that could cut through anything. They were the energy swords.

"The Swords of Justice dashed forth, and in three cuts, Palitun Starmie was dead. They fell from their perch atop Thundurus's back, and as their blood ran across the mountaintop, the energy swords faded.

"The storm ebbed around them, and the two Chaos Twins landed on the mountain to speak with the Swords of Justice. 'What will you do now? Will you kill us as well?'

"'No,' said Cobalion. 'For your actions were not unjust. When Palitun assigned you to slay all the pokémon of the region, their actions were an act of injustice. You did their bidding only for your freedom. Until the Earthstalker sees fit to chain you once again, we shall let you roam free. But should you ever act injustly against the pokémon of this region, we will stop you.'

"'Very well, Swords of Justice,' Tornadus said, and the Chaos Twins flew out into the storm, eager to enjoy their freedom. The Swords of Justice descended the mountain, and now that the battle had been won, Meloetta appeared.

"You have fought valiantly, my Swords, but now that the injustice has been purged, your work is done. You shall now sleep. When the region has need for your heroism once more, the song of the springs shall stir you from your sleep.'

"The Swords of Justice did as Meloetta bid. The three Swords split apart and returned to the places where the song of the springs stole their souls. There, they slept. When injustice may strike the great Unova region, the Swords of Justice shall rise again."

As Siputet finished the story, she noticed that Chitan and Roche were both glowing. Roche had told her once that legendary souls loved to hear stories about themselves, so she told the Legend of the Swords of Justice whenever she could. She found it always made the legendaries of their team outwardly happy, though her own had yet to respond.

"That was a pretty good legend," Gaijin said. "But what about Keldeo? I thought there were four Swords of Justice, right? The story only had three."

"Well, Keldeo joined the group later on," Siputet described, "but I don't know when or how. There's no story about it, and the Swords haven't told us."

"Could you not ask Keldeo yourself?" Gaijin asked.

"Enough questions!" Chitan barked, scaring Gaijin into silence. "You are on a need-to-know basis, dragon-type. Keldeo's business is Keldeo's business." And that was the end of that.


End file.
